


The More Things Change (The More They Stay the Same)

by haldoor



Category: Hawaii Five-0 (2010)
Genre: Declarations Of Love, Humor, Kono's observations, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-17
Updated: 2014-12-17
Packaged: 2018-03-01 21:41:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,502
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2788688
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/haldoor/pseuds/haldoor
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p><b>Warnings/Spoilers:</b> None for the show.<br/><b>Disclaimer:</b> I still hold no ownership rights and do this for my own and others' amusement only.<br/><b>Beta:</b>  <b>siluria</b> ran her eyes over it for me; I'm forever grateful you find time for me, babe!<br/><b>Summary:</b> Kono is amused by Steve and Danny's constant declarations of love.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The More Things Change (The More They Stay the Same)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [DalWriter](https://archiveofourown.org/users/DalWriter/gifts).



> **Author’s Notes:** This was written for the **1_million_words** **Swap of Joy**. I drew **dalwriter** in the exchange, and the prompt I used was _The other characters' take on the fact that S/D are constantly saying I love you_. Sorry I didn't go as far as you suggested, but I hope you like this anyway!

"Love you, babe."

"Love you, too."

Kono flicked a look in Steve's direction as Danny waved over his shoulder and gave the second statement on his way out of HQ.

Steve gave her a questioning look. "What?"

"That's the third time today, Boss."

Looking even more disconcerted, Steve asked, "Third time for what?"

Chin looked up from the map he and Kono had been studying on the computer table. "Third time you and Danny have said 'I love you' to each other today."

"Really?" Steve looked from Kono to Chin and back again, like they had to be kidding.

Kono nodded, then quirked a lip. "Is there something we should know?"

Steve's expression morphed into a frown and he backed away. "No. It's... it's just a joke. You guys know that, right?"

"Oh yeah," Chin replied quickly, managing somehow to keep a straight face.

"Good." Steve disappeared into his office and shut the door before Kono could control her voice enough to speak without letting out a laugh.

"How do you do that?" Kono half-giggled her way through the sentence. "He's so earnest about us believing him. I have to bite the inside of my cheek to stop myself from laughing in his face."

Chin bent back to the map, smiling broadly. "Come on, Kono, give the guy a break. I don't think he even realizes what he's doing. It would be cruel to make him think too hard about it."

"There," Kono pointed, getting back to the case they were working on, though her mind was still on Steve and Danny's constant declarations of love. "That hill there is where the abandoned vehicle was found."

"Okay." Chin traced the spot to a nearby stream, and tapped it thoughtfully. "Perhaps they made their way here and then walked downstream in the water. That would explain why the police lost the trail."

"Hmm, you may have a point. We should go and check it out."

"Uh-huh. I'll tell Steve."

"Chin?"

"Yeah?"

"You really think he doesn't know?"

Chin shrugged. "If he doesn't know now, I'm sure he'll figure it out eventually."

Kono squinted at him in thought. "You think Danny knows?"

"Maybe. But then again, maybe you and I should keep out of it and get on with looking for those stolen diamonds."

"Sure, cuz. We could just do that-"

"Kono..."

Kono held up her hands. "All right, all right. You got it."

Chin shook his head at her and knocked on Steve's office door.

"For now," Kono muttered under her breath, grinning to herself as she tucked her phone into her pocket and joined Chin at Steve's open door.

~//~ 

It was the next evening and they'd successfully solved the mystery of the missing diamonds, thanks in part to some good deductive reasoning by Kono and Chin, so they were feeling pretty pleased with themselves.

Steve had invited the whole team plus a few others to his place for a barbeque to celebrate their success and – since it was also Friday – to blow off some steam at the end of a long, hard week.

Kono and Adam were late arriving, and the beer, wine and food were already flowing. Kono grinned at the sight of Steve and Danny in what looked like yet another argument by the grill, then she caught Chin's eye as he turned to greet them.

"Don't tell me," Kono said to him as she flicked her eyes at the quarrelling partners. "The 'I love you' arguments have already started?"

Chin's grin widened as he handed a bottle of beer each to her and Adam.

"The 'I love you' arguments?" Adam asked, giving her a confused look.

"These two," Chin gestured. "They always disagree on everything, but lately there have been a lot of 'I love you' declarations being exchanged in amongst the bickering."

Adam lifted an eyebrow at the oblivious 'lovers'.

"Uh…" Steve suddenly seemed to notice their expressions, and nudged Danny.

At this, Danny turned towards them too. "Hey Kono, Adam." He frowned as they replied in kind. "Is there some reason you are all grinning at… us?" Exchanging a look with Steve, he smiled back at them warily.

"Nothing new, anyway," Kono told him, letting her dimples show. 

"I think I'll find the steaks." Steve's brows drew together as he made a quick exit, leaving Danny to field any further questions.

Danny rose up on his toes and went back down again, rubbing his hands together at the same time and smiling brightly at Kono, Adam and then Chin. "So… what's new?"

"Pussycat," Kono couldn't resist adding, unable to dim her own smile.

"Huh?" Danny looked confused now.

"Nothing. Uh… well, we kinda wondered…" Kono tried.

"Uh-oh," Chin murmured, "Don't include me in _that_ wondering, thanks. I think I'll… just…" He pointed. "Go over there." And with that he was gone, dragging Adam – looking increasingly bewildered – along with him.

"Chicken!" Kono called after them, and smiled widely back at Danny.

Danny scratched at his neck, looking mildly embarrassed. "You wanna tell me what all that was about?"

"No, not really," Kono said, deciding at the last minute that perhaps she'd pushed it a bit too far too soon. "I see Leilani over there. I was going to ask her something. I'll be back in a while, Danny." 

He narrowed his eyes at her suspiciously, but said nothing as she made her way across the lawn.

~//~

Three hours later, after a great deal of talking, plenty of delicious food and quite a few of bottles of beer, Kono found herself yawning in the middle of a conversation with Chin, Leilani and Adam.

"Hey, maybe we should go," Adam smiled at her. "You must be beat."

"I am feeling pretty tired, actually," Kono agreed, looking around the lanai. "Where is our gracious host and his partner?"

Chin gestured towards the kitchen. "Last I saw, they were disagreeing about the last Mets game as they carried dishes inside. They're probably still washing up – and continuing to disagree – in the kitchen. I think everyone else has gone. We should probably go as well."

Kono stood up. "I need to visit the bathroom before we do; I'll let them know we're leaving on my way back. You guys stay here; finish your conversation. I won't be long."

The others all nodded their agreement, continuing to talk quietly as Kono wandered into the kitchen. She frowned to herself at the lack of Steve or Danny. "Guys?" Without thinking too much about it, she moved to the doorway of the living room, sure she saw movement in the dark. Flicking on the light switch as she went through, Kono's eyes widened with shock. 

"Oh my God," came out of her mouth in a low, breathy whisper before she could stop it. 

Riveted to the spot, Kono stared as Steve and Danny separated from where they'd been wound around each other. It was hard not to see Steve quickly retrieving his hand from down the front of Danny's open pants, and Danny trying desperately to zip his fly without hurting himself.

They both blinked at her, Steve licking his lips like he was trying to find the words to explain why he'd had his lips glued to Danny's, and Danny was holding up a hand, his mouth opening and shutting like a guppy.

"Uh…" Kono got out as she gathered her wits. "I'm so sorry! I had no idea… I didn't mean to interrupt!" She half-turned, embarrassed and more than a little turned on at the sight she'd just witnessed.

"No, no, no," Danny said as he moved closer to her.

"Please don't…" Steve said at the same time, also moving towards her.

Kono managed to look back at them. "It's okay, really. I won't say anything… I mean…" and at this point, the incredible ludicrousness of the situation – these two who were so obviously in love with each other that they couldn't wait to be alone to start showing it, and her being embarrassed over seeing them do so when she knew their 'I love you' exchanges meant this was on the cards – hit her and she started laughing.

Steve drew back with a frown, and Danny raised his eyebrows, looking at Steve then at her. "What's so funny?" he asked, more than a little indignantly.

Kono put her hand to her mouth, the laughter still bubbling out. "You two. I mean, I'm not sure if you realize how often you've been telling each other you love one another lately, but I actually didn't think you'd got this far yet. But I'm thrilled that you have! I think we should tell the others. They'll be pleased for you, too."

"No, please…" Steve shook his head, looking worried.

Danny's face had lightened, though. "It's not a problem for you?"

"Of course not!" Kono told him, flicking a glance at Steve's still concerned expression. "You're made for each other! Chin and I were talking about it earlier – well, kind of."

"I don't know-" Steve still didn't look sure.

"Babe." Danny turned to Steve. "If Kono's not worried about it, and Chin already has some idea about us and hasn't mentioned it, then it can't be that bad, can it?" 

Steve studied Kono's expression for a few moments, biting at his lip, and then, rubbing at the back of his neck absently, he turned to Danny. "I guess…"

"C'mon, babe. Saying we love each other like we have been was supposed to warm them up to the idea, remember?"

"It sure worked," Kono grinned. "Like I say, I thought maybe you hadn't realized exactly what was going on between you, but I'm glad you have it figured out. Look, it's only Chin, Leilani and Adam out there. They can be your guinea-pigs. If telling them doesn't go well… then maybe hold back on saying anything to anyone else. But in all honesty, Steve, I don't think it's a big deal, and I don't think any of them will react with anything but happiness for you both. Chin at the very least will almost be expecting it."

Steve let out a deep breath. "Okay. Let's do it."

"There's my boy," Danny told him, wrapping an arm around Steve and giving him a half-hug from one side.

Kono gestured that they should go ahead of her, and they headed back out to where the others were still talking quietly. All three looked up as they neared. 

"Hey," Chin said softly, and somehow Kono got the impression he knew exactly what he was about to hear.

Steve and Danny looked at each other for a moment, and Kono frowned, giving them an impatient gesture.

Steve held his hands up. "Okay. Listen guys…"

Adam sat up straighter, as if aware this was important, and Leilani leaned closer into Chin, looking attentive. Chin gave Kono a knowing smile.

Danny took up where Steve left off. "We just thought you should know-"

Kono couldn't help herself. "They are totally doing it!" she let out, and then bit at her lip, smiling with a little less than embarrassment as Steve and Danny both glared at her.

Chin's grin widened, and Leilani looked from Steve to Danny to Kono, and let out a soft 'Oh'. Adam put a hand to his mouth, trying to suppress a snort of laughter.

"Hey!" Danny drew everyone's attention. "What Kono means is that Steve and I have been seeing each other – outside of work, that is – and we have discovered that… well, we kinda-"

Steve cleared his throat noisily, and cut Danny off. "We just wanted you to know that… well, we're… dating, and if anyone has a problem with that, you should probably say so now."

"Not that it will stop us," Danny added, "but you can decide not to spend time in our company…"

Chin was still grinning. "How blind do you think we are?"

"And we probably wouldn't still be here if we had a problem with it," Leilani added with a warm smile of her own.

Adam stood up and for just a second, Kono was worried. Steve was obviously of the same mind as he looked at Adam wide-eyed. But they didn't have to worry. Adam took a step towards the partners and held out a hand. Steve just looked at it for a second, although Danny seemed close to smiling.

"Congratulations," Adam said. "I honestly didn't expect to hear this from either of you, but I'm glad for you. You make a great couple."

Steve blinked, and then abruptly smiled, looking about as gorgeous as he could, and Kono couldn't help but be glad that Adam hadn't disappointed her – or Steve and Danny. Steve shook Adam's hand, and then Adam offered it to Danny, who did the same. 

"Thanks," Danny told Adam. He let go of Adam's hand and drew closer to Steve, who – to his credit –seemed to have relaxed about the others knowing about them. He put an arm around Danny's shoulders and looked at him in fondness. Danny wrapped an arm around Steve's back in return and grinned up at him equally as warmly.

Kono thought she'd never seen a more beautiful sight. "Now, we should probably leave you guys alone to finish what I interrupted earlier."

Steve actually blushed at that, but Danny just looked quietly pleased.

"Thanks for the barbeque, Steve," Chin offered as he put an arm around Leilani and they headed for Chin's car.

Kono and Adam weren't far behind them, and they turned to wave back at Steve and Danny from the gate. The two men were by Steve's front door, but were barely paying attention to their leaving friends.

And watching them kiss so unashamedly, Kono couldn't stop smiling. 

~//~ 

"What the hell?" Danny looked at Steve. "Are you completely insane? Wait, what am I saying?"

"Relax, Danno! It's under control."

"Under control? Are you kidding me?

Minutes earlier, the whole Five-0 team had pulled up at the residence of a suspect. Seeing him in the front of the property, Steve had yelled out his name. The guy had taken off like someone had lit his pants on fire.

Now, after Danny's angry outburst, Steve fired off a couple of shots, and the guy dropped to the ground in mid-stride a hundred yards down the street. Steve aimed a self-congratulatory grin towards Danny and walked towards the suspect, who was rolling over and cursing loudly at him. Manhandling the guy onto his stomach, Steve pulled his wrists behind his back and cuffed him, and then stood up.

"Quit moaning; I barely nicked you. Book him, Danno."

Danny shook his head in exasperation, and then headed towards him. "I love you," he offered as he arrived next to the still-complaining perp.

Steve's grin couldn't have gotten any wider. "Love you too, babe."

It was just another typical day at Five-0, Kono thought to herself, watching them together. Some things didn't change, no matter what new things happened.

And she wouldn't have it any other way.

~//~ 

END


End file.
